Muddled Chaos
by bluheat
Summary: Ghouls exist, so why can't angels? Coding Error: Fixed!


Disclaimer: I don't own Tokyo Ghoul.

Okay so this is new and it's an idea I just came up with, so please leave a review!

* * *

Ariel's piercing golden eyes analyzed the world around her. The scent of humans swirled in the air with the occasional ghoul aroma as she strode across the pedestrian crossing. She knew the myths associated with her name. Sometimes she was the princess of the ocean, sometimes she was the one of the Virtues angels cast out of heaven after being overcome by Abdiel.

Neither was true. None truly touched upon her nature.

She breathed out slowly under her bright blue umbrella, savoring the mix of air. It was a different air from the Earthly air that she had observed before. There was much less of the metallic odor of blood combined with the rank smell of disease during that of the Normandy Invasion. There was considerably less soot than the amount during the English Industrial Revolution. There was no more of the dark, unearthly festering whiff of Bubonic Plague spreading on the horsebacks of Mongolian horses commanded by Genghis Khan.

Yet, somehow, the air was still the same. The taint of blood still existed every time she passed by an alleyway. The foul air still arose from dumpsters, hinting at dangerous bacteria. Innocent humans were still smiling, unknowing of the danger that was all around them.

Ariel was not nearly stupid enough to try to fix all of the evils in the world. She knew it was not her duty nor was it possible for her to do it by herself. Had God or Raphael commanded her to do so, she would have tried wholeheartedly, but they did not. They too understood that was how the world was meant to be. Perfection could not be achieved.

In a sense, she was more human than most angels. She saw no reason to have the overarching sense of the world like other angels did. Yes, they were closer to God. Yes, they had less of the corrupt tendencies of humans. Did that make them better?

Ariel did not doubt that she would be one of the only angels that would assume otherwise. Angels had too much pride in themselves and the heavens they resided in. Rather, there was something beautiful in the struggle for human existence that attracted Ariel. She had argued this point several times in the heavens and was met with denial and refusal. She herself was surprised that she had not become one of the fallen for being so controversial and opposing popular beliefs. She was lucky that God and Raphael agreed.

Her nose twitched slightly, remembering when God had told her that many humans knew her as Uriel, her brother, a male angel rather than female. She suppose she couldn't blame them; at the time, males were thought to be competent and females were not. That didn't stop her from showing up and silently watching the Seneca Falls Convention with a small, approving smile. They were not entirely wrong, to misplace the credit of her deeds. There was another female angel by the name of Ariel, one of the Virtues who had fallen in the Holy War, and she would rather be confused with her own brother than a fallen.

She was the most human out of the angels and archangels, which is why she had been sent down to Earth for a reason, for once. She had been caught every time that she snuck down to watch humans. To observe. To learn. She was caught but Raphael had laughed, calling it her "naїve obsession." Other angels asked for her to be removed, to be one of the fallen. She had wondered if that would have been better; being sent down to Earth permanently did not necessarily sound bad.

Her dark coffee colored tresses whipped across her face as the gentle pitter-patter of rain drummed against her bright blue umbrella. She shook it slightly and closed it before entering into a brightly lit bookstore. One of the store attendants smiled at her and asked if she needed help to find the young adult section.

Smiling, she shook her head, musing at the fact that she looked nineteen when she was aged well over several centuries. With ease, she found the Shakespeare section and Ariel tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and hummed as she opened to Hamlet's monologue in Scene II, eyes trailing over the Prince of Denmark's declaration. As the words sunk into her brain, she left the tangible world where her shrunken scimitar was hidden in her jean pocket and the tattoo of wings splashed against her back.

She had until nightfall before she could start her work anyways.

* * *

Special Investigator Arima leaned back in his office chair and sighed, pushing away the list of kills that had occurred in the last week. Some would be natural, caused by diseases and car accidents. Most would have occurred because of ghouls being out of control, hunting down innocent humans caught in the wrong area at the wrong time.

Running his fingers through his hair, he adjusts his glasses before standing up and pulling on his overcoat. Picking up the briefcase that contained his quinque, he walked out of his office and promptly bumped into Mr. Mato.

"Ah, Arima," he growled in his typical low voice. "Any new reports?"

Arima smiled slightly at the elderly man. There had been a time that he had been frightened by Mato Kureo, but the time had long passed. "Plenty," one side of his mouth quirked. "The binge-eater has been really active lately. How has your new partner been?"

"You always sound as if you didn't expect those dirty ghouls to be so active," the white-haired grinned manically. "And he's alright. Brave but unsuspecting. Slightly naїve."

Arima nodded before waving goodbye to Mato, mulling over how once he had been one of those so-called 'brave but unsuspecting' Doves. There was something awfully nostalgic about today, which was countered by the slight prickling on his neck. As he exited the building, a raven flew overhead, leaving behind a single black feather.

He had a feeling something big was going to happen.

If he only knew what.

* * *

Taking a sip of milky mocha coffee, Ariel savors the warm chocolate taste as it travels down to her stomach. The sun was setting and the modern coffee shop next to the bookstore had offered a place to get a cup of what Ariel acknowledged as her weakness. Angels could eat or drink the finest foods in the heavens. The finest wines flowed in fountains and the sweetest fruits were plentiful. However, coffee was rare.

The bold fragrance swirled in the air, luring in customers from the wet concrete jungle known as Tokyo. The chatter of customers and chiming of the bell with every order made Ariel smile. Glancing at the name of the store and the logo, she admired the creativeness in naming a franchise after a minor character in the classical literature, Moby Dick. Truly, angels did not give humans enough credit.

She shifts in her seat, crossing her legs and clicking her leather combat boots together. The celestial blade hidden in the trendy boots remained in the sole as her heels bounced up and down to the music playing in the background. Matter of fact, all of the clothes she wore was trendy to better fit into the human populace. Her white peacoat covered a plum sweater; a hint of gold flashed from her neck. Ariel fingered the golden cross that Uriel had given to her before she had left.

A young man with messy hazelnut hair and glasses plops down in the chair opposite from hers, startling Ariel. His charming beam made her uneasy as he spoke, "May I sit here? Everywhere else is taken."

"Of course," she waves, lips turned up. Ariel forces herself to stay calm as she takes a deep breath.

Ghoul.

"Thanks. The name is Nishiki, Nishiki Nishio. And you are?" Something behind his smile was predatory, and she instantly knew she was being targeted. Whether for a meal, or something else, she had no idea. And although she usually strayed away from fights, she could easily hold her own against a ghoul. Judging from his pale skin, it had been a while since he had last eaten.

"You may call me Ariel." Tilting her head slightly, she lets her neck be exposed as the chocolate curls fall from her shoulder to her back. Almost indiscernible, his breathing slightly speed up. In his head, she was clearly his snack. Her mouth twists as she wonders if she really did smell like a human. Uriel always said she smelled like a sea breeze, but also strangely human. Just how prominent was that human scent?

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ariel-chan." His smile was still unnerving, but knowing his intentions made it easier to breathe.

Gulping down the rest of the coffee, she pushed the chair back. Gripping the cup, she shot it into the nearby trash can. Nishiki whistled, pretending to be impressed.

"I am afraid I have run out of time, Nishiki-san," she takes a fleeting glance at the darkening sky through the window. "I will see you around, won't I?"

He nods back before she walks away, jeans tightening around her hips. She doesn't miss the "absolutely" that escapes from his lips.

Your loss, Nishiki.

She shoots a smile back at him before leaving, book in hand and umbrella clutched in her fist. The hustle and bustle from the afternoon had died down considerably, but the sidewalks were still full of people clutching shopping bags from the Marunouchi shopping district just west of the Tokyo Station.

Ariel slips easily through the throngs of people, wondering where she should put down her belongings before Nishiki caught up with her. Humans passed by, not paying attention to the fashionably dressed angel. Her brown curls bounce with every step as she realizes she had no one to rely on for shelter and nowhere to store her new book. She sighs, knowing that an empty roof top was the best bet she could possibly have at the moment. If he caught up to her there, it was relatively out of sight.

Changing directions, she turns towards the nearest waterway. The signs indicated it was just a block away and theoretically, it should have less people if any due to the fact that there shouldn't be shopping centers near there.

Soon, the crowds had disappeared and only one or two people were in sight. Spotting a partially built building, she looks around before slipping through a window that was missing glass. The place reeked of the dark scent of ghoul and she began to sprint through the building, bursting into the stairwell and leaping over steps. Just one floor up, she heard the door bang open.

The chuckles she heard made her blood freeze as she forced herself to go faster. She passed by the second floor sign, and then the third, before sprinting full speed up the stairs. The steps turned into a blur as the chuckles echoed in the stairwell. Panting, she could feel her thighs straining after passing the fifteenth floor. The top of the staircase was just in sight. She plowed her shoulder into the door, wincing, as it swung open to reveal an empty rooftop. Tossing the umbrella and her book wrapped in a plastic bag to the side, Ariel turns to see Nishiki with black irises and red pupils. Scarlet veins pop out around his eyes and his once charismatic smile looked rather deadly. Ariel knew that if she had been human, she would have been reduced to pieces on the staircase itself.

"Hello, Ariel," Nishiki leers, stalking towards her. Keeping up with the human facade, she steps back. "Long time, no see."

"Nishiki," she replies calmly, hand over her jean pocket. "Are you sure you want to eat me?"

Nishiki throws his head back and laughs, "You knew? You knew and you lured me here anyways? How foolish are you?"

Ariel bites her lip before smiling slightly, "Very." She whips out her shrunken scimitar, which begins to grow as soon as it hits the air. Ariel's hand curled around the hilt of the curled blade, covering the inscribed name in Latin, Celeste. Lifting the sword embedded with strands of gold, Ariel presses her lips against the blade. "Nishiki, I will ask you again. Are you sure you want to eat me?"

"Yes," he snarls, saliva dripping from his mouth. "I don't care if you're a Dove. Most Doves are weak anyways."

"I am afraid that I am not weak as you think, nor am I a Dove. I am warning you, you do not want to fight me," Ariel cries out, voice strong as her heart beat increases. Nishiki leaps towards her and Ariel steps back, dodging. "If you must, I wish you mercy on your soul."

"Mercy?" Nishiki chokes out. "Mercy? Soul? You are an unusual human. Most just scream."

"For thine is the kingdom," she murmurs, lowering the blade to point at Nishiki. "And the power, and the glory, for ever and ever." The chocolate curls lengthen into straight white-blonde hair. Fluttering open her eyelashes, Nishiki's eyes widen, realizing her eyes had changed from golden to a dark amethyst purple.

"W-what?" he stutters before lowering his stance, preparing to pounce. "What kind of human are you?"

Ariel smiles before feeling the tattoo on her back move, bursting out of the white peacoat which lengthened into a long colorless robe. Gold feathers sprouted from her back, leaving her with large wings and she could feel a golden halo erupt above her head. "Now Nishiki," she purrs. "Who said I was human?"

Nishiki charges as his kagune explodes from his back, revealing a serpent tail. Ariel steps back and blocks his arm that was left to grasp at empty air. Chuckling, she realizes how fitting the serpent tail was for his smooth words and silky charisma.

"If you use your kagune, it is only fair that I use my familiar, no?"

Nishiki snarls back, making his kagune thrust towards Ariel's midsection. Closing her eyes, she jumps into the air, making the wind whistle through the feathers as her wings flapped. A golden light burst from behind her eyelids and upon opening her eyes again, a golden liquid lion stood next to her. With a roar, the lion charged at the kagune, avoiding the slash Nishiki directed at its guts.

Jumping back into the fray, Ariel whipped her scimitar, Celeste. "I warned you Nishiki. I'm still giving you a chance to run." She dodges the kagune that attempted to rip her leg off. The lion familiar clenched his jaws around the end of the kagune and bit down, leaving Nishiki to howl in pain. "Stand down, Nishiki."

He pants back, before retracting his kagune.

"Good," she breathes, slightly out of breath. It had been a long time since she needed to fight. Her hair once again turns to dark coffee curls and her eyes turn back to gold. The wings retract back into the tattoo while the robe shortens to the peacoat that it was before. Squeezing the hilt of the blade, it shrunk before Ariel slipped it back into her pocket.

The solid wet pavement offered a steady support as her feet tentatively touched it, watching Nishiki cautiously. His eyes were no longer black and red.

Suddenly, with a flash of blue, Nishiki's kagune impales her through the stomach. Gagging and spitting blood, Ariel falls to the ground as he jumps on to her again, about to bite her leg. Sliding one of her boots across the pavement to unsheathe the celestial boot knife, she drives it straight into his groin.

Nishiki falls back and shrieks, clutching his crotch that was rapidly becoming saturated with blood. Ariel wipes the blood leaking from her mouth and groans at the flesh that rapidly knit itself back to normal without a scar. Winded, she sits up and begins to wipe off the blood. The sweater was torn, revealing pale skin that reflected the moonlight.

"Enough, Nishiki," she said quietly as she sheathed the celestial blade back into her boot. Celestial blades cut through everything, and were strong enough to inflict harm on both ghouls and angels. "You are strong, very strong. But you cannot win." Ariel's lips thin into a line, realizing that could very well be a lie. She was not even close to being one of the strongest angels, such as her brother.

He slowly uncurls as Ariel waits, gathering her umbrella and her discarded book. His moans fill the air, "What are you?"

Ariel shrugs, "Is that important?" She had not expected to reveal her fighting angel form so soon. Normally, she appeared to be another human; chocolate hair and amber irises looked perfectly ordinary. Again, she was one of the few angels who liked to remain that way in the heavens while most angels took on their fighting form normally. Ariel found that being in human form was a lot less hassle when it came to taking care of wings, which attracted all kinds of dirt and dust.

The change into her other angel form was similar to ghouls when their eyes changed colors. It was not exactly the same, but the transformation was similar enough to be compared. Her familiar had given her the nickname "Lion of God." The lion looked like a swirling mass of golden liquid. As the angel that represented nature, the liquid was actually water. In the centuries that she had been alive, she found that she had complete control over the element of water. Most angels could control something. But very few had the control over a powerful element. To compensate, her fighting skills were not as powerful as other angels and often Uriel was forced to protect her when the angel masses turned ugly.

Nishiki coughs, interrupting her thoughts. "Well, I suppose I am out of a meal tonight," he sighs, standing up slowly and wincing.

"You are," Ariel agrees. "But I do not doubt that you will see me again."

He huffs quietly before staggering to the door and escaping. The quiet "I hope not" reached her ears, making her lips turn up again. For a few moments, everything was silent and only the rustle of a young woman picking up a cerulean umbrella and a discarded book filled the air.

And then a scream.

The scream reverberates inside Ariel's ears, making her bend over and nearly scream herself. Something about the scream was calling her. It sounded like an animal that knew it was about to die. With unsteady steps, she stumbles to the edge of the roof, peering down as she took deep breaths to calm her racing heart.

A young man was staggering away from a ghoul with purple hair. Her kagune burst forth from her back, to reveal red tentacles, one which was quickly thrust through the center of the young man. Another unearthly scream bursts from his mouth as blood puddles on the ground of the alleyway.

A creaking sound makes her whip her head to the side. Suddenly, several blocks of cement tumbled down upon the fight below, crushing the ghoul. A shadowy figure from the roof of an adjacent building vanishes before Ariel's arm could pull Celeste from her pocket.

Something told her that the young man would be just fine as humans took notice of the noise and called an ambulance. He would be just fine.

Unlike her.

It was the middle of the night, and there was nowhere for her to run. She could be hit in the back by another ghoul's kagune at any time.

Going to a nightclub was asking for trouble. Sitting in convenience stores was out of the question-she would just be kicked out. There were barely any homeless people in Tokyo because the ghouls had eaten them all. The only possible choice left was to start finding the 20th ward.

Ariel blew a steady stream of air from her mouth. If only she knew how to.

* * *

Please read and review! I will update as soon as I finish, so it could be two to three weeks.

(I HAVE SO MANY UNFINISHED FICS SO DON'T KILL ME. PLEASE CHECK OUT MY KNB FIC AND POT FIC IF YOU HAVE TIME).


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